Kimberly Dalferes | Author

Crazy, Southern, Irish Gal, Author

For the Love of Gal Pals

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I’ve often been called a “guy’s gal.” This is usually – I think – meant as a compliment. There are some stereotypically masculine pursuits that I do enjoy and which often lead me to rattling around in the boys’ club house. For example, I LOVE football. I’ve followed the Dolphins since 1972 and as many of you know, I am a somewhat crazed FSU fan – GO NOLES! I can fish, tell jokes (yes, especially dirty ones), and have been known to go shot for shot with the gentlemen at the bar. I have yet to … [Read more...]

The Art of the Middle-Aged Swimsuit

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Here we are in mid-June, firmly pressing into summer. The annual ritual of warming up, slowing down, and taking time off is upon us. Sunscreen: check. New summer read: check. I-Pod loaded with beach-themed music: check. Well-fitting yet comfy swim suit: Ugh. Damn. This happens to me every year. I’ve promised myself in the winter months I’ll work out more, eat less, shed a few pounds and buy myself a new swimsuit. And, if I’m being honest, every June I look at myself in the … [Read more...]

Club Fifty

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According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are over 4 million of us in the United States who claim 1963 as the year of our birth. We just squeaked into the “baby boomer generation” which officially includes those born between 1946 and 1964. Our sub-group (and many millions more world-wide) will collectively be joining “Club Fifty” this year; finishing our fifth decade here and realizing the not so shocking reality that we are now officially the older generation. A … [Read more...]

Know Your Audience: Stellar Advice or Sexist BS?

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Awhile back I was having coffee with a fellow who I consider to be one of my writing and networking mentors. We were discussing this past year, my book, and the future of this blog. As we were sipping our lattes and talking about our latest projects, he noted that he admired how I’ve been able to really drill down to my target audience: women; of a certain age; who like to laugh and share their wisdom. I agreed and noted how much I was enjoying this creative work. I shared that I’ve been … [Read more...]

I Blinked

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I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the passage of time. Why is it that as I get older, time seems to move by at an accelerating rate? I’ve been wondering: is it just me, or do others sitting here in the middle-aged cheap seats feel the same way? Most research seems to suggest that my perceptions of time have a lot to do with where I am in my life cycle AND what increment of time I am measuring. In time perception studies, adults in mid-life [MOI!] report that the hours and days pass at … [Read more...]

SHOP.DOT.KIMBA.

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For the 79 million of us born between 1946 and 1964, commonly known as The Baby Boomers, we are claiming our spots in the middle-aged cheap seats at a face pace. Within five years, one-half of the U.S. population will be over the age of fifty (New Media Trend Watch). We’ve been lagging at bit behind the younger set in terms of our technology prowess, but we’re catching up – the average Facebook user is now 40.5 years old (Pingdom, 2012 ). Here is what has really gotten my attention: “In the … [Read more...]

What’s Your Car Avatar?

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It was with a bit of a sad heart that this week, after ten years and 150k miles of faithful service, I finally had to pick an upgrade to replace Ol’ Bessie. She’s been a reliable chariot indeed, with only one spectacular breakdown near the end; and even then she had the good sense to snap her serpentine belt right in front of the Plow and Hearth outlet.   Fear not friends, Bessie will now live out her years down at the lake, housed in a spacious and clean garage and saved for weekends tooling … [Read more...]

Spring Fever … Virgo Style

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This happens to me every March: I believe that Spring will arrive in this third month of the year. I believe that the gloomy, grey, overcast skies will transform into magical sunny clear blue warmth. I believe that I will be able to turn off the heat and go play outside in my garden and fill my planters and hanging baskets with beautiful impatiens, ivy, and geraniums. March 20th is supposed to be the official beginning of Spring, right? Well, as always, this week was my reminder that Mother … [Read more...]

Don’t I Look Great… For Sixty?!

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Busted. Here’s how it went down…. I had been pestering hubby Greg to start putting out on the dresser his clothes, and his everyday “must-haves”, for the next day before he climbed into bed each night. He’s a grown man, and he can certainly dress himself, but I had become weary of the o’dark-thirty mad dash around the bedroom in search of matching socks, shoes, cell phone, car keys, belt, etc. He had obliged and it had been working out pretty well… until last week. On a recent early morning, … [Read more...]